Entrepreneurship inherently depends on the fostering of a new ideas, perspectives, and experiences, a process greatly helped by changing the faces in the room to reflect our global society. At the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Palo Alto, California, President Barack Obama spoke to that ideal to a packed crowd of tech executives and young entrepreneurs, both.

 

“It turns out that starting your own business is not that easy. That it can be especially difficult for women and young people and minorities. You deserve the same chance to succeed as everybody else.”

Barack Obama

POTUS

The President also congratulated tech companies on investing in increasing the diversity of their workforces. Over 30 tech companies had signed a pledge addressed to the President before his appearance that promised the companies would make diversifying their workforces a priority in the years ahead. Those pledging included tech heavyweights like Intel, VMWare, & Airbnb. Central to that effort, the letter said, would be retaining and advancing diverse talent, investing in partnerships to build a a better ‘pipeline’ and implementing published recruitment goals.

Mr. Obama also pushed back against potential censorship of the internet, stating, “It is hard to foster and encourage an entrepreneurial culture if it’s closed and if information flows are blocked. What we are seeing around the world oftentimes is governments wanting the benefits of entrepreneurship and connectivity, but also thinking top-down control is compatible with that, and it’s not.”